Australia flex muscle in penultimate tri-series hit-out

Meg Lanning and Tahlia McGrath have sent a stern warning to all who stand in their way, combining for a whopping 140-run partnership on the way to a 63-run win over Ireland.

The 360-degree power of both Lanning (74 from 49) and McGrath (70 from 45) was on full display for the small but lively crowd at Bready Cricket Ground as they put the Irish bowlers to the sword to post an imposing 4-182.

Remarkably, McGrath's exit for 70 was the first time she's ever been dismissed in the four T20Is she's batted in. She currently averages 247 in the format.

Defending their twelfth-highest T20I total of all time, Australia's bowlers got to work and for the third time in as many matches it was Megan Schutt to deliver the first breakthrough for the visitors before a second scalp took Australia's spearhead to 100 T20I wickets.

Alana King's extraordinary run continued, collecting 2-11 and taking her figures for the series to 8-28.

Jess Jonassen also made a welcome return in her first match since her delayed arrival due to a positive Covid-19 diagnosis, returning 2-27 from her four overs.

Orla Prendergast (25) and captain Laura Delany (20) were Ireland's top scorers as the finished their 20 overs 7-119, 63 runs short.

As Lanning's troops were sent into bat in overcast conditions in Derry, it was a was a markedly improved start for the Irish bowling attack.

Seam bowler Georgina Dempsey had the ball moving and was able to trap Australian opener Alyssa Healy on the pads for one (off nine balls) in the second over. Not long after, Beth Mooney fell victim to Rebecca Delaney's off-spin for nine in the fifth over.

With both openers back in the sheds and the scoreboard kept to a modest 2-39 at the end of the Powerplay, it was over to Lanning and the in-form McGrath to rebuild and they did so with ruthless intent.

The switch was flicked in the eighth over and it was spinner Arlene Kelly who felt the full wrath of a confident Lanning as Australia's captain unleashed her signature flick over the leg-side boundary with glorious ease, not once but twice in the over for two maximums.

As McGrath mixed pure power with an array of perfectly executed reverse sweeps and switch hits, and Lanning continued to carve the white ball through the field with trademark accuracy, Ireland's bowlers appeared to run out of answers.

A moment of brilliance from Dempsey on the boundary had Lanning caught on 70 in the 18th over, and McGrath followed suit in the 19th.

But the pain didn't stop for Ireland as Rachael Haynes made her way to the crease with nine deliveries left. No doubt looking to make the most of her time in the middle, Haynes' struck two perfectly timed boundaries to commence her innings and finished unbeaten on 11.

Australia will have one more hit out in Ireland against Pakistan on Saturday before travelling to Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games on Sunday.

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath, Rachael Haynes, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

Ireland XI: Gaby Lewis, Rebecca Stokell, Orla Prendergast, Laura Delany (c), Mary Waldron (wk), Arlene Kelly, Leah Paul, Rachel Delaney, Georgina Dempsey, Ava Canning, Cara Murray

Australia's Tour of the UK, 2022

Australia's squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

T20 Tri-Series

Ireland squad: Laura Delany (c), Ava Canning, Rachel Delaney, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron

Pakistan squad: Bismah Maroof (c), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gul Feroza, Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Tuba Hassan

July 16: Australia v Pakistan: no result

July 17: Australia defeated Ireland by nine wickets

July 19: Pakistan defeated Ireland by 13 runs (DLS)

July 21: Australia defeated Ireland by 63 runs

July 23: Australia v Pakistan

July 24: Ireland v Pakistan

All matches start 4pm local time (1am AEST) and played at Bready Cricket Club, Derry, Northern Ireland

Australia's T20 tri-series matches will be broadcast in Australia on Foxtel and Kayo Sports, while the games between Pakistan and Ireland can be watched via live stream here

2022 Commonwealth Games

July 29 v India (11am local time, 8pm AEST)

July 31 v Barbados (6pm local, 3am Aug 1 AEST)

August 3 v Pakistan (11am local, 8pm AEST)

Group A: Australia, India, Pakistan, Barbados

Group B: England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka

Semi-finals: August 6, 11am local (8pm AEST) and 6pm local (3am Aug 7 AEST)

Bronze medal match: August 7, 10am local (7pm AEST)

Gold medal match: August 7, 5pm local (2am Aug 8 AEST)

All matches played at Edgbaston Stadium